During a raucous debate that will air Sunday on Lone Star Politics, Koop charged that Carter told a former contender in the race, businessman Samuel Brown, that she was running for two more terms in the Legislature simply to secure a state pension.

In March Brown went public with his version of the conversation with Carter, who calls the allegation “ridiculous.”

“The trust issue with Ms. Carter is what the issue is here,” Koop said. “When you have a trust issue like that. That’s what the issue is for the voters.”

In response, Carter produced minutes from a Dec. 20, 2012 meeting of the North Central Texas Council of Governments, where a $150,000 contract was awarded to a consulting company that employs Koop’s husband, Myron Koop.

Carter said that Koop voted for the appropriation.

“If there are trust issues involved, I would say that voters do not know about Linda Koop,” Carter said. “They do not know about her half a billion dollars in tax increases, two billion in irresponsible spending and a vote she should have recused herself on.”

Koop, seemingly agitated, said Carter was incorrect about the vote.

“Ms. Carter, you’re lying,” Koop said. “She’s lying.”

After the segment ended, Koop and Carter continued to argue before ultimately leaving the studio.

Koop finished 163 votes ahead of Carter in the March 4 primary. That field included Republican activist Adryana Boyne and Brown.

Carter, the incumbent, has served nearly two terms in the Legislature. She faces opposition for this election, in part, because she briefly mounted a campaign for the Texas Railroad Commission before deciding to seek re-election to the House. By that time, Koop and the other contenders were already off and running.

The winner of the May 27 GOP runoff faces Democrat George Clayton in the November general election.

During the debate, Koop said the Carter was off base in clashing with Brown, a military veteran badly wounded in Afghanistan.

“Calling him a liar is disrespectful,” Koop said.

Carter pressed Koop about her service on the Dallas City Council, saying she had voted for $500 million in new taxes and fees.

But Koop said that voters in her council district understood the need for bond elections for various projects.

And she suggested that Carter was lacking as a candidate because she didn’t own property in the district.

“They know where I live…a lot of voters like people who have a foundation in the community,” Koop said.

House District 102 includes parts of North Dallas, Addison, Garland and Richardson.

Lone Star Politics airs Sunday at 8:40 a.m. on KXAS-TV (NBC5).

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The blog for the Dallas Morning News politics team tracks Dallas Fort Worth area, Texas and national campaigns.